


Tonight: You & Me

by sunshinelion



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, M/M, late night getaways, mentions of other nct members - Freeform, mild boarding school au?, they're both whipped, ugly sweet bomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 19:17:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14385366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinelion/pseuds/sunshinelion
Summary: Donghyuck gets Mark to go out with him on another late night trip, just like they've done countless times before, but it feels a little different this time around.





	Tonight: You & Me

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta-ed! you've been warned! also, there are very mild swear-ish words. i mean, if you count name-calls such as asshat and idiot as swear words, then yeah.  
> note that: i've only been to korea and to those places once, so most of this is probably very messed up and not at all accurate to how the places mentioned actually are. i'm sorry. ;; i'll do better next time, i promise.

> **_WHAT IF WE RAN AWAY?_   _  
> _ _WHAT IF WE LEFT TODAY?_   _  
> _ _WHAT IF WE SAID GOODBYE TO SAFE AND SOUND?_**

The soft sounds made by the trees’ branch meeting with the windows of the dorm room is audible to Donghyuck’s ears as he blankly stares into the wall he’s facing. He’s lying on his side, mind an empty void of nothing as he mindlessly allows a small sigh to escape his lips. It’s quiet, and the environment is peaceful, but Donghyuck doesn’t feel like so.

Donghyuck turns on his side as he looks ahead, his eyes finding the silhouette of his dorm mate of four years bundled in his own blanket on his own bed. Mark is snoring lightly, mumbles of a mix of Korean and English leaving his lips every few seconds. Donghyuck sees how Mark’s body tightly wrapped showcases that he’s in a fetal position, the same position he goes into whenever he has a particularly bad day at school and even in his sleep, he isn’t relaxed enough to be able to let loose.

Donghyuck remembers how one day, after track practice, he returns to his dorm room to see Mark huddled in front of their coffee table, Chemistry and Physics book both wide open, full of highlights, post-its and messily scribbled notes. Mark had fallen asleep on his high stack of notes, and even while he was sleeping whilst sitting, he still had his legs pulled up to his chest, arms tightly holding onto them.

Today hadn’t been the best day for Donghyuck, either. He had arrived back to the dorm at 1:32 A.M. after being called back home upon his family’s request due to his grandfather’s neglecting health the past week. Once he arrived, Mark wasn’t there to greet him with his usual “Welcome home, Donghyuck. Don’t forget to lock the door this time.” since Mark had gone to sleep in Lucas’ room because he couldn’t sleep alone and it’s a small thing, but it did make Donghyuck more stressed out than before since the older had often been his reason for a better day, but apparently that would not be today. During schooling hours, he had gotten plenty of mocking remarks by his Literature teacher for having been absent which was ridiculous to Donghyuck seeing as he had a legitimate reason for his absence and all teachers had been informed. Lunch greeted him with a warm smash to the face when a junior collided with him when they were trying to run away from a friend, hence causing Donghyuck’s tray of food to fly right into his face. Donghyuck didn’t get to go ahead and take another tray for lunch because break was scheduled to be over in 10 minutes and the line looked like it would take a whole hour until he’d get a new tray. His day went on horribly, and Donghyuck had fallen asleep as soon as he came back to his room without waiting for Mark to come back, so he really didn’t see Mark for the whole of the day.

Until now, that is.

Swinging his legs off of his bed, Donghyuck stood up, his eyes still on Mark as he makes his way towards the sleeping boy. Donghyuck had always been a person to make decisions on impulse while Mark? Mark is always on Donghyuck’s side and will always be on his side regardless of the stupid things he’s made Mark be a part of in the past few years. Their friendship is of the level where the other feels like a permanent comfort, and since they’re in a boarding school, they’re practically together every second of the day except during prep hours and the regular school schedules. Their friendship circle had intertwined during their first year of sharing a dorm room, so they always hung out together after hours with their friends, too.

Mark has never declined any of Donghyuck’s ideas, and Donghyuck doubts that day would come any time soon. Therefore, Donghyuck takes a seat by Mark’s head which was cushioned by nothing other than the latter’s own forearm since Mark refuses to use the pillow when he’s sleeping in that position. Donghyuck lifts his hand, and it stops midair.

What if Mark wants to rest? Tomorrow would be a Saturday. They’d get time to rest tomorrow. Mark seemed so stressed out, is it really a good idea to wake him up at - Donghyuck glances at the bedside digital clock of Mark’s which showcases the digits of the time. - 11:21 P.M.?

Before Donghyuck is able to retract his hand and shuffle back to his own bed, though, Mark is already awake and addressing him. “Hey, Hyuck. Welcome back.” Mark mumbles, his hand moving to pat Donghyuck’s thigh, a habit Mark had developed for a while now.

“I’m home.” Donghyuck says, fingers finding their way to run through the other’s soft, brown locks.

“Is there anything you need right now?” Mark questions, voice still heavy with sleep and eyes still closed.

“Can I really say it?” Donghyuck questions back, biting his lip in contemplation.

Now, Mark is slowly getting up, rubbing his eyes as his mouth parts open in the most adorably ugly manner to let out a yawn. It’s obvious he’s still exhausted and sleepy, but he nods for Donghyuck to continue as he brings himself up to a sitting position, body facing the younger. He’s still blinking away the remnants of sleep lingering in his eyes, and Donghyuck thinks he looks the most cutest when he’s sleepy and trying to make time for Donghyuck. A slight pang of guilt slithers itself in Donghyuck’s chest, but the way Mark is motioning with his head for Donghyuck to speak shuts the guilt down.

“Let’s run.” Donghyuck says.

“Where? The track?”

“I meant, let’s run away.”

Mark is now awake, eyeing Donghyuck’s eyes in the dark, the only light being the moon’s shine through the half-open blinds of the windows Mark left behind earlier that day. He tries to find a reason within them for Donghyuck’s sudden wish, and he sees desperation and exhaustion, so Mark nods.

“I’ll get my stuff. Don’t forget about your wallet.”

☼

Mark is heaving the regular bag he brings whenever Donghyuck wants to run away from school. The bag contains extra cash he’s saved up through the weeks, a few of those plastic cups of water, a few cans of Red Bull, one set of pyjamas, a pair of clean clothes, his wallet, toiletries, and electrical needs (Namely, his tablet and charger since Donghyuck uses a Apple products and he’s using Samsung, so they can’t really share chargers.). It isn’t the first time they’re running away, but Mark has a feeling that tonight’s run away will be a little bit further and a lot more easier for them to get lost. He doesn’t mind, though. Even if tomorrow there’s basketball practice and extra classes for guitar, even if tomorrow is the day Mark is suppose to get his multiple certificates for his involvement in the school’s committees and curriculum activities. Donghyuck needs this, and Donghyuck has always been number one in Mark’s list of priorities.

Donghyuck jumps over the walls of their school, and he lands with his knees on the ground and Mark is sure he saw his hands painfully smacking the Earth below them. Mark bends down to a bow to ask if Donghyuck’s okay, and the other just hisses in an answer, eyes shooting up in a silent reply of, “What do you think, genius?”. Mark lets out a bark of laughter while Donghyuck rolls his eyes and stands up.

“Where are we going?” Mark asks as the two walk leisurely to the bus stop that’s 10 minutes away.

Since they’re out of school grounds now, there would be no security ready to take them in and to the headmaster, though the headmaster has given up in punishing them since they run away at least four times a year. Mark keeps the school’s name constantly fresh as the MVP of basketball. Meanwhile, Donghyuck is the reason for the high influx of talented singers in the school when Donghyuck managed to swipe all trophies in singing competitions all year round in just his first year of high school. Mark and Donghyuck likes to think their contribution is the reason why, but Mark is pretty sure it’s mostly due to the fact that Donghyuck’s family is the biggest donor to the school.

“Anywhere we haven’t went.” Donghyuck replies simply, and he nudges Mark with an earpod piece.

Mark simply hums in reply as he takes the earpod, putting it in his ear. A lofi tune is already playing and though the earpod still feels foreign in his ears, he appreciates the music and Donghyuck’s shoulders bumping into his every now and then as they stroll down countless street lights down the empty roads and sidewalk.

They’re the only ones out at this hour, considering the area’s dominated by the boarding school by more than half. The little space left only occupies the small number of houses owned by the school’s teachers and the bus stop they’re heading towards by the outskirts of the urban area. Some students live around the area, but they stay in the dorms due to the fact that the school doesn’t allow any students to live outside despite living so near to school to avoid any unwanted cases involving wild teenage students to surface the media. Parents don’t complain about this rule as most of them are often times not at home due to the tight schedules of their respective work, so their child being in school grounds constantly saves them some fear and worry. At least, that’s what Jaemin, Mark’s junior in basketball had said before when he first mentioned his family in a game of Truth or Dare during the 5-minute break coach gave in Mark’s third year.

A hundred meters away from the bus stop and Mark notices that there’s a bus there and the doors are about to close. Mark shouts out a, “Wait a sec!” which makes Donghyuck jolt out of his reverie and proceeds to circle his fingers around Donghyuck’s wrist, pulling him to the bus stop.

It’s just a hundred meters, but while they sprint, Mark’s fingers around Donghyuck’s wrists, the younger’s loud laughter being the only sound in the silent night streets, earpods most likely being dragged on the road and is already broken, the air slamming their faces and their hair flying back, their lungs full of fresh air, it felt like the whole world is in their hands for tonight.

When they reach the bus, it’s one of the drivers who they’ve met before in the last year. The man greets them with a smile, and the pair reply with their own. Both teens swipe their cards - matching Christmas edition cards. - and they enter the bus, opting to stand by the middle doors even though the bus is mostly empty except for the two sleeping patrons at the far back.

“Where to this time, kids?” The bus driver asks.

“Itaewon.” Donghyuck says, and Mark looks at Donghyuck in question.

“I thought you’ve been there before.” Mark says.

“But you haven’t.”

“Will we go to Myeongdong after that, too?”

Donghyuck looks at Mark with a bright smile, and Mark shakes his head. “Now we are.”

☼

Donghyuck remembers Itaewon as a street full of foreigners and stalls. At night, Itaewon bustles with life and people forgetting their life responsibilities for a while. This is what Mark needs for tonight, and as Donghyuck sees Mark’s most brightest smile plastered on his face when they step out of the bus and into the night, Donghyucks knows he’s right. It’s the lift of Mark’s lips that causes Donghyuck’s chest to swell with utmost happiness, relaxation and as Mark eyes Donghyuck, pausing for a second when he realizes the younger is already looking at him, Donghyuck thinks life couldn’t get any better.

“Yeah?” Donghyuck asks the older, eyebrows lifting up in question.

“Ah, nothing.” Mark mutters, moving his head away to look ahead, averting his attention from Donghyuck to the abundance of people around them. “Where to, sir?”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes at Mark, but indulges him nonetheless because it’s fun; being with Mark, like this, is fun.

“Well, my good man, to the…” Donghyuck peeks at Mark, bending his legs and getting into the starting position of a runner. Mark notices and follows suit, knowing exactly where this is going.

The younger boy takes off immediately once Mark is in position, throwing his head back in laughter when he gets a look at Mark’s incredulous facial expression. The people around them are all laughing, too. They move aside when Donghyuck asks for them to make way, and if Mark is within distance, he’s pretty sure the older is the one getting the fist bumps and cheers from the strangers to catch up with Donghyuck.

Donghyuck isn’t really sure where to go, but he figures anywhere could be nice to just walk around with Mark, so he does just that. He halts in the middle of the road, turning around as abruptly as Mark collides with him. They both fall splattering to the pavement. They hear a girl yelping, and some giggles around them, but the two just laugh between themselves, Mark slapping Donghyuck’s shoulder as he rolls off of Donghyuck.

“Okay, but for real, where to now?” Mark questions as Donghyuck stands to his full height, hand extending down for Mark to take which he gratefully does.

Donghyuck pulls Mark up easily as he answers. “I don’t know. Got anything to buy?”

“We’re going to end up being here for hours if shopping is what we’ll be doing.”

“There’s an arcade and a karaoke place. There are restaurants too. Pretty sure a pub run by one of my dad’s friends are here, too.”

“Arcade, karaoke and restaurants sound nice, but I’ll chuck you down Han River if you take me to a pub.”

“Alright, alright, Good Boy Lee.” Donghyuck snorts, hooking his and Mark’s arms together.

The two stroll down the road, stopping by some stalls to see what they have in store. Mark stops at every store that sells shoes, and Donghyuck stops at every store that sold anything warm. Arm still linked with Mark’s, Donghyuck fishes for his phone with his other hand, checking the time. His lock screen displays 12:45 A.M., and Donghyuck can feel the sudden chill of the wind wrapping itself around him in a tight hug.

It’s cold. It’s very cold. It’s Spring, but the crisp chill of Winter is still obvious in the late night. Donghyuck eyes the people around him. Some are bundled in layers and layers of jackets, while others - mostly girls - are simply wearing tights, a scarf and a sweater. How they’re able to survive and still breathe in this sort of weather amazes Donghyuck to no end.

Mark pulls Donghyuck by his arm to the side, stopping once again at a stall selling shoes. He’s picking up the shoes, inspecting them closely. Donghyuck isn’t really the biggest fan of shoes. He thinks they’re pretty and he has plenty of branded ones, but he doesn’t really take it to his own hands to keep himself up-to-date with all the latest releases, so when Mark asks him “Does this look close to Puma’s new release last Wednesday?” while holding up a pair of black shoes with embroideries on them, Donghyuck can only manage a nod but with a confused expression. Mark understands what Donghyuck is telling him, but he still asks just for the sake of seeing Donghyuck trying to indulge in him.

It’s nice when someone cares about you enough to indulge in the things you like, even when they’re absolutely clueless about it.

There’s a chime coming from near them, and Donghyuck looks up to the side. It’s a cafe. He hears one of the workers inside saying, “Come again!”. The warm air of the cafe flows to the outside, and Donghyuck tugs on Mark’s sleeve. The older looks at him quizzically, and he sees that Mark is now holding two pairs of shoes and is discussing with the seller for the price, so Donghyuck just shakes his head, knowing he should wait for Mark to finish his discussion before bothering him.

Mark finishes soon after, not buying anything once again since the prices are still unbelievable to him for knock offs and not originals. Mark swings his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulder and asks the boy what he wanted, and Donghyuck says, “There.” while pointing to the cafe.

“Let’s go then.” Mark says, dragging Donghyuck along with him to the cafe.

When they enter the cafe, the chime dings again, and the employees greet them with a warm, “Welcome!”. The two teens nod their heads in acknowledgement, going to the line to order.

“I want a-” Donghyuck starts.

“Hot chocolate, extra sweet.” Mark ends the sentence for him.

“I mean, I know you’re obsessed with me but really?”

“It’s more like you’re just dead obsessed with hot chocolate and sugar.” Mark scoffs, and Donghyuck takes offense as he pulls a face, mouth falling and eyes accusing.

“It’s much better than your plain iced Americano.” Donghyuck hisses to the other.

“Excuse me, but iced Americano is a classic. Yours is what 5 year olds drink. Oh, wait. I guess it’s perfect for you then.” Mark earns a stomp on the foot, which he takes because he knows he deserves it.

☼

At the arcade, Mark beats Donghyuck in practically every single game. He shoots basketball like a pro, he dances fluidly to the songs on Dance Dance Revolution, Donghyuck doesn’t understand how he’s also good at air hockey but when you’re Mark Lee, of course you’re good at everything.

Donghyuck suffers another loss at the car game, but then again, Donghyuck has already been told to never try to drive a car since he might just drive the car headfirst to a tree in 4 seconds flat. Mark is laughing and having fun making of Donghyuck though, so maybe it isn’t so bad after all.

Mark then pulls Donghyuck to the crane game. He wins Donghyuck a small lion cub after several tries

(Donghyuck has already tried asking him to stop after he’s wasted about 10,000 Won on the damn game, but he refuses to, so Donghyuck just gave up trying to stop him.) and Donghyuck smacks him with the lion cub.

At the karaoke, though, Donghyuck is the one singing his lungs away and having the time of his life. They bought an hour for the room, but it’s really just Donghyuck singing while Mark is sitting at the back, applauding and having a standing ovation for Donghyuck every 5 songs. Donghyuck’s awful at rapping, and it’s not really funny how he tries to be goofy and play around with words for the rap, but Mark laughs anyway because well, it’s Donghyuck. Though, Mark is left speechless when Donghyuck sings Taeyeon’s U R. He feels warm tears pooling around his eyes, and Donghyuck looks at him as if he just grew another pair of hands.

“What are you crying for?” Donghyuck asks, the tips of his ears turning red but he hopes the karaoke room is dark enough, so that Mark wouldn’t notice.

“You’re beautiful, y’know that?” Mark says it with so much sincerity, that Donghyuck couldn’t resist but to bring his foot up and kick Mark in his arm.

☼

Donghyuck has a cup of tteokbokki in his hands and Mark’s iced Americano is still in his hands. He complains that it’s too cold, and Donghyuck just says, “I told you so.” because Mark Lee is the only idiot who would ever buy iced Americano in this kind of weather. Donghyuck lifts up a piece of tteokbokki, blowing on it before offering it to Mark, who bites down on it as soon as it’s in front of his lips.

They’re walking down the sets of stairs to the subway. It’s uncomfortable and it’s cold. They’re both exhausted and it’s now 3:00 A.M.. They still haven’t went to Myeongdong, even though Myeongdong’s probably closed down by now, but Donghyuck still wants to go to Myeongdong, so Mark says nothing of it.

When they’ve walked down the stairs, went down a couple of escalators and found their train platform, they settle themselves into the seats, leaning on each other after. Mark still feels wide awake, most probably due to the Americano in his hands. Meanwhile, Mark can feel Donghyuck’s head growing heavier and heavier on his shoulder. He slumps himself down, just so Donghyuck can feel more comfortable.

Mark eyes a couple that just walked in. The boy and the girl are almost of the same height, but that’s probably due to the girl being foreign, with blonde hair, green eyes and all. The boy looks in love, and so does the girl. The girl swings her arm around the boy’s, leaning into the crook of his heck. The boy’s hands are on her waist, and they just hold themselves together like that for a while. Mark turns to look at Donghyuck and wonders if he ever looks at Donghyuck like that, too.

He doesn’t give his mind the freedom to think about that, though. Instead, he plays around with his phone. He unlocks it and clicks on Neko Atsume. It’s a good distraction game for a while. Thinking of cute cats coming back home instead of a certain brunette that resembles something close to a cat is something Mark has been doing since the first Summer holidays away from Donghyuck. It’s not really the best, but it’s definitely good for his mind.

The train comes soon after, and Mark shakes Donghyuck awake. “Get up, wacky. The train’s here.”

“Wacky? Really?” Donghyuck complains the second he wakes up.

“Really.” Mark replies easily, walking with Donghyuck inside the train.

It’s mostly empty safe for the few people who just walked inside the train. The couple Mark saw earlier are in another car, and Mark shoos them away from his mind as Donghyuck grabs his collar and has him sitting on an empty seat by the doors with him, sprawling on there. It’s not unusual for Donghyuck to be dead sleepy, but Donghyuck will always refuse to sleep unless Mark is sleepy, and Mark can’t feign wanting to sleep unless he wants another screaming and sulking Donghyuck for the rest of the week.

Donghyuck doesn’t rest his head on Mark’s shoulder this time. Instead, he throws his head back and falls asleep like that. His legs are oh-so-gracefully spread wide open, one of them thrown on top of Mark’s leg. Habitually, Mark brings his head on Donghyuck’s thigh, squeezing it as he eyes the sleeping boy.

Mark won’t lie. Donghyuck is a beautiful person to him. Not just his looks. His personality, too. There are times when he shines the bright, and when he shines the brightest to Mark. It’s when Donghyuck would set up a cup of coffee for Mark when he comes back home late after basketball practice and has a test coming up tomorrow but he hasn’t studied for it. It’s when Donghyuck tags along with Mark even when the former would much prefer sleep over pizza any time after track practice. It’s when Donghyuck yells from the bleachers, “THAT’S MY DAMN DORM MATE RIGHT THERE! GO GET ‘EM, SIMBA!” during basketball games and Mark is still baffled the teachers even allow Donghyuck to skip his classes to come with them to the games at different schools.

Donghyuck is like the Sun. He always shines, and there are times when he shines so bright, Mark can’t look at him. One of those times is now, so Mark averts his attention from the other, slumps in his seat, and focuses on hearing when they’ve arrived at Myeongdong.

☼

Mark had been right. The market at Myeondong has closed long ago, but Donghyuck just shrugs his shoulders and says, “It’s fine. We’ll just go to a convenience store and grab supper.”. They do just that.

They drop by the nearest 7-Eleven, and Mark buys a cup jjajangmyeon while Donghyuck tries to recreate Got7’s Mark’s meal. Mark helps him carries the hot food to the table and he watches while Donghyuck assembles the whole thing together. They sit down opposite of each other, closest to the window and the back, furthest away from the cashier and from any other person. The door chimes once in a while when they were cooking and most people come and go.

“You sure you want to eat here?” Mark asks, eyeing out of the window.

“Not really, but do you?”

“Do you really think I’d want to spend my time in 7-Eleven instead of outside?”

“Fair enough.”

The pair then grab their bags and food and walk out of 7-Eleven together. They walk with the food’s comforting warmth radiating to their hands, providing it with heat before it could go completely numb. The streets are really mostly empty, so Donghyuck takes the advantage to sit outside one of the closed stores’ alleys with Mark. It’s clean and Mark has a knife inside his bag if they ever need it for self-defense, so Mark sits beside Donghyuck, too.

It’s when Mark opens his jjajjangmyeon and is ready to take the first bite when Donghyuck reveals his true intentions for this trip.

“It’s your final year, huh.” Donghyuck says, and Mark puts his chopsticks back in his cup as he looks at the younger.

Donghyuck looks extra small this time around. Maybe it’s because he is hiding himself. His shoulders are raised a little higher to shield his face, and his knees are up to his chest. Mark thinks he looks endearing.

“Yeah, it is.” Mark replies, not knowing what else to say.

It’s true. Donghyuck came in when Mark was already in his second year of high school. Mark’s a year older, and Donghyuck’s a year younger. It happens in every other school, too. The older one graduates first when they start learning earlier than the younger ones. Mark isn’t sure why he has to put an explanation to it, though.

It’s silent. Too silent. Donghyuck will usually say something else. Change the topic or ask about Mark’s dog back home at Vancouver with his grandparents or something, but he’s not. When Donghyuck looks up, lips pursed and his pupils shaking, Mark leans forward to hug him. Donghyuck accepts the hug, and hugs him back.

“Can’t you stay? Just like tonight?” Donghyuck asks, and Mark hugs him tighter as a reply because he can’t.

He’s struggling now because he can’t stay. This is his final year. He’s going off to a college next year and he won’t be with Donghyuck anymore. Mark has thought about this fact ever since they first talked about where they wanted to go after high school during Donghyuck’s first year one night when they decided to bond to get closer. Mark just never wanted to think about it again until it actually happens and slams into him like a wrecking ball.

“I’m sorry.” Mark says instead.

“Can I say something?” Donghyuck questions, and he holds Mark even closer. “You can’t say anything until I say you can.”

“Of course. You can always speak when you’re with me.” Mark says.

He feels Donghyuck shifting in his hold, and he moves his arms from the younger’s shoulders to his waist, changing their positions, so they’re opposite each other and in a comfortable hold. Donghyuck is taking his time to speak, but Mark thinks he knows what the other wants to say.

“I-I like you. I found out I liked you during that one day of Chemistry when you put that dumb lid on the experiment and it caught on fire. You were smiling and laughing with your friends. Before you ask me how I found this out, I was in the lab behind yours and you know how busybody all of the students can be when something happens.” Mark chuckles, and Donghyuck smacks his head. “Not yet.”

Donghyuck takes a shaky inhale of breath before he continues. “I think you’re pretty amazing at basketball. Jeno would say that’s an understatement and maybe it is, but you didn’t hear it from me. You’re also an amazing person. You’re so caring. You always stay up for me when I’m late even though I always fall asleep first when you’re not back yet. You’re attentive. Don’t think I don’t realize that you’re the one slipping in notes from your past year inside my locker whenever I have exams and you know I haven’t studied yet. Your notes are really nice, by the way. They’re simple and pretty. Which brings me to my next point. You’re pretty. Well, pretty handsome but yeah. I’m not going to drag on about that because I’m sure you know how handsome you can be but well. The main point of this was my first sentence, basically. I’m trying to make you forget that first sentence, if you haven’t noticed yet, but I’d be quite disappointed if you really forgot it.”

“I stopped listening to your words after I laughed.” Mark admits. Donghyuck pulls away, ready to slap him, but Mark stops him. “I was way too focused on listening to your voice instead, and I’ve heard what I wanted to hear. I like you, too.”

Mark’s lips are chapped and so are Donghyuck’s. It’s not either of their first kisses because after all those Spin The Bottle games with the other guys, it’s not something foreign, but God. The burst of happiness in both of their chests are so new, so relieving and Donghyuck feels a tear falling down his cheek.

“So, are we dating now?”

“You useless idiot.”

It’s the smiles and the laugh, the soft kisses and the hand holdings in the bathtub at the hotel they’ll be sleeping in that make them know that yes, they’re dating now. It’s the cuddles in the king sized bed and the forehead kisses along with Donghyuck biting Mark’s nose that makes it feel so real to be with each other.

☼

Mark holds his graduation flowers up high as his parents stand by his side to take a picture with him. He’s been smiling with countless other people today that his cheeks are starting to hurt. He looks around the crowd of smiling and proud faces, some crying and hugging each other. Mark’s mother beats him to it before he can even ask his question.

“Go find Donghyuck. We’ll be waiting for you two outside by the car.” She says, and Mark gives her the bouquet of flowers and runs to find his boyfriend.

He zips through the empty hallways. None of the students have classes today, so plenty opt to stay in the dorm rooms, but Mark doubts that’s where Donghyuck will be at. Besides, he saw Donghyuck earlier when he was on stage, getting his certificate. Mark runs up a few flights of stairs until finally, he sees brown hair peeking out.

“Donghyuck!”

“Go away!” Donghyuck shouts back, and his voice is hoarse, and Mark is sure he’s been crying.

Mark barks out a laugh, before he’s running up to his Donghyuck. The younger’s legs are stretched open, so Mark sits down on one of the stairs below. He was right. Donghyuck had been crying. There are tear stains on his cheeks, and his eyes are puffy.

“Miss me already?” Mark voices, and Donghyuck brings his knee up to poke Mark’s back.

“You wish.” Donghyuck says.

Mark smiles as he shakes his head, grabbing onto Donghyuck’s hands. “I haven’t asked you this before, but hey.” Mark starts, one of his hands going inside his pocket to bring out a velvet box.

“I’m so not marrying you, what the heck? I’m too young for this degree of commitment! And you’re leaving me!” Donghyuck screeches, to which Mark groans.

“Shut up and listen. This is a promise ring, you dimwit.” Mark explains, and he opens the velvet box up with his finger. “Not just to love each other and all that sappy kinda things that you do when you’re drunk off of sleepiness (“That was one time!” Donghyuck hisses.) but also a promise that we’ll be with each other again.”

“And how is that, Sherlock?”

“Living together, duh. You do realize that the apartment I’ll be renting is in the middle of my future university and your first-choice university, right?”

Donghyuck purses his lips in guilt, and Mark really wants to just chuck the box in Donghyuck’s face. “Now I do.” Donghyuck replies. “So, you gonna put that on me or what?”

“Of course. I’m not going to let someone else do it to you.” Mark says easily, and Donghyuck gags while Mark puts the ring on his finger.

“I still don’t think my confession at the empty alley is worse than this.” Donghyuck says as he puts on Mark’s ring for him.

“You really won’t let go of that lame confession, would you?”

“It’s not lame, you asshat. It’s memorable.” Donghyuck fights back.

They leave the staircase hand-in-hand after taking a polaroid photo together, silver bands perfect around their ring fingers.

**Author's Note:**

> oops. what did i write, once again! i'm so sorry. ;; i wrote this at 1 am? and i'm positive it's not one of my best works since i happen to write when i'm down, and that doesn't exactly help with writing literately but well! i wanted to write something.  
> i hope you liked it nonetheless! comments + kudos are very appreciated! i love you, and have a nice day.


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